Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES SAMUEL XY. TYLER, OF GR'EENWICH, NEW YORK.

uvneaovrlvlarar` IN HARVESTERS. c

Specification forming part of LettcrsPatent No. 30,65l. dated November 13, 1860.

To all wiz/0791, it may concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL XV. TYLER, of Greenwich, in Washington county and State of N ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvesting-Iliachines adapted for harvesting all kinds of small grain and grasses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyc, ing drawings, with the letters of reference thereon, makinga part of this speciiication.

Similarl letters refer to like parts of the machine.

Figure l is a view in perspective of a machine containing my improvements'from the front, near the grain side thereof. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is aside elevation thereof, with the cutting apparatus folded in its rest by the side of the machine. Fig. 4 is a view of the automatically-adjustable head-piece, with its extension of a rigid arm. Fig. 5 is a view of a slotted hand-lever for raising thehead-piece and cutting apparatus, with an automatically-adjustable point of leverage. Fig. 6 is a view of the shoe of the inner end of the finger-beam, and a turnplate, which are used in folding the cutting' apparatus by the side of the machine, and in automatically elevating the front edge of the cutting apparatus. Fig. 7 is a view of the cxterior'of closed ratchet-boxes on the hubs of the drive-wheels. Fig. S represents a lon-` gitudinal view of the pitman-rod, with its intermediate swivel-joint and curve near the end next the cutter or sickle bar. Fig. 9 is a sectional view oi' a hollow or tubular pitmanrod.

My invention relates, first, to the construction ot' a `harvesting-machine with an automatically-adj ustable head-piece, which is vertically adjustable at the point of its attachment to the machine, and to which the cutting .apparatus is attached, with an extension of a rigid arm laterally, and' which rigid arm is hinged at its rea-r end to the rear corner ofthe frame of the machine, and which serves, besides bracingthe head-piece, as a brace through the turn-plate and the inner shoe of the 1inger-bar, -laterally bracing the finger-bar; secondly, to the construction of a turn plate, which in the present case is arched on its outer line, and which is hinged on a strong bolt to the head-piece near its lower end, and is also hinged at its front and rear ends to the shoe at the inner end of the finger-beam, and it is of a character to permit its independent upward oscillation to elevate the front edge of the cutting apparatus, as any abrupt elevations in the path of the machine may require, and it has a stop on its rear end, which, coming under a flange on the rigid arm, prevents the front edge of the cutting apparatus from turning down below a level, and which also permits the raising and folding of the cutting ofthe machine, thirdly, to providing an iiron bearings for all the journals-of the gear-work, so rm and rigid as not to be subject to warp or spring in the springing of the fra-me of the machine, so that they may preserve their relative positions toward each other, and not become bound or cramped in their'action, which is suspended but iirmly fastened to the crosspieces A A', and also forms a strong-additional braceto the frame itself; fourthly, to the provision of a slotted hand-lever, which, acting on a rollerfulcrum, is automatically adjustable in its point of leverage for raising the headpiece and cutting apparatus to pass over intervening obstructions.

That others skilled in the art may make and use my invention, I proceed to state the manner of its construction and theprinciple of its operation.

It has amain frame composed ofthe wooden cross-pieces A A and the side pieces,B B, the latter of which are boxed on and firmly bolted to the former at the several corners of the frame. This frame is borne on the axle F of two driving-wheels, E E. These driving-wheels are placed on their axle j ust inside of the side pieces, B B. Auinternal spur-wheel, S, is firmly secured to the axle F adjoining the drivingwheel on the stubble side of the machine, and in its revolutions with the axle it meshes into and revolves a pinion on the transverse pinionshaft l), that on its other end carries a bevelwheel, that in its revolutions revolves abevelpinion on the pitman-shaft, which, by a wrist on a disk or eccentric on its opposite end, through the pitman-rod K,vibrates`the sicklebar.

In my experience with harvesting-machines work was lia-ble to become cramped and bound apparatus longitudinally in its rest by the side hanger,77 so termed, for a rigid support of with wooden frames I have found that the gearin its action by the springing or warping of the frame, and when it becomes only slightly cramped or bound the action of the cutting apparatus is thereby rendered much less perfeet, which Ihave found to be an evil of su'ch magnitude as to be studiously avoided; and to avoid or prevent these evils I have provided that all the journals of the gear-work -shall be borne on a single iron support or hanger, O, which in my machine consists of an ironbar with arms arching out on each side at either end, and which rise up and are rmly secured to the pieces A and A of the frame, and is not subject to warping or being strained out of position by the springing or warping ofthe wooden frame, and hence their several bearings are kept in their relative positions toward each other and toward the other parts of the machine, and the iron hanger at the same time serves as a iirm brace tothe frame of the machine. I have also provided an improved automatically-adjustable headpiece,which is vertically adjustable at the point of its attachment to the machine, with an extension of a rigid armlaterally, which is hinged to the rear corner of the frame of the machine. rEhe head piece is -marked G and the rigid arm of thehead-piece is marked IVI. The rigid arm serves to give additional power of resistance to the head-- piece in resisting any sudden or unusual strains, and, through its connection with the finger-bar the turn by plate M and the shoe I, it affords a lateral brace to the finger-bar also. The headpiece Grises and falls automatically, according to the undulations of the ground in the path ofthe machine, when it is used in harvesting grass or grain,and the part ofthe rigid arm next the head-piece participates in the motions of the head-piece, serving at the same time as its lateral brace, as before stated. I

deem any further description of the function of my improved automatically adjustable headpiece to be unnecessary..

The cutting apparatus is attached to the head-piece and to the pitmanrod by a flexible joint, which will permit itto decline from a position at right angles with the plane of the head-piece, or to rise to an angle less than a right angle, and still work with success. This connectionis effected through the turn-plate M and the shoe at the inner end of the iingerbar. The turn-plate is of an arched form on its exterior line, and it is secured to the head- A piece by a strong bolt, as represented in Fig.

l, and is permitted a free oscillation upward in front on said bolt,which serves as a swiveljo-int, so that ,the front edge of the cutting apparatus maybe turned up as Aany abrupt or sudden undulations in the path of the cutting apparatus might require, and a stop on the rear end of the turn-plate comes under the exterior flange on the rigid arm and prevents the front edge ofthe cutting apparatus from being turned down below a level; and by reference to Figs. 6 and 4 it will be perceived that they are provided with holes through them other than those by which they are fastened together, the object of which is to regulate the degree of the oscillation of the turnplate and the shoe at the inner end of thecuting apparatus as occasion may require, andt the number of holes for this purpose may be increased as may be deemed necessary, and those in the turn-'plate should be in the form of a slot, so as at alljtimes to permit a moderate amount or" oscillation, as' occasions arise in using harvesters when it is necessary to raise the cutting apparatus to avoid intervening obstacles; and to accomplishthis purpose, inasmuch as the cutting apparatus is attached to the machine by a flexible joint, I have provided a lever, l, with convenient handles at its top, and which is turned down through the head-piece G and a fixed nut near its foot upon the inner end of the finger-bar to bring it into a rigid position at right angles to the plane of the head-piece, 'and when this resultis attained I use the following-described devices to elevate the cutting apparatus.

The rear edge of the head-piece G is provided with ratchet-teeth of such peculiar form, as is represented in the drawings, that when the peculiarly-formed bite of the slotted handlever L, which is moved on a fulcrum-pin covered with a friction-roller attached to the side piece, B, is operated in connection with said teeth, they together form a connection in the form of an ordinary knuckle-joint, by which means the bite of the lever L is held to its position with a tenacity to compel such a working of the slotted lever L upon the frictionroller t as will lengthen or shorten the short part or end of the lever in proportion to the different positions which it may occupy in producing an upward ordownward movement of the head-piece. The angular posif' tion of the handle of the lever L in relation to its slot is so arranged that by a downward inclination of the handle of the lever forward the bite of the lever will readily drop into its proper connection with the ratchet-teeth upon the head-piece. The inventor considers these features in their relations to each other as imorta-nt, inasmuch as he is enabled thereby to use a lever disconnected from the head-piece, which allows a free and independent movement of the head-piece in the use of the machine while the lever remains at rest, and yet enables him to raise the cutting apparatus 'to any considerable height on any sudden emergency. y

A ratchet of ordinary form is provided on the front edge of the head-piece, with a pawl hinged to a convenient position in front of it, to hold it in any convenient position when harvesting grain or when traveling.

In my experience in the use of harvestingmachines I-have observed that the resistance produced by them when in use is greatly increased or lessened as their vibrating parts are made light or heavy, and as the sickles are vibrated about sixty times per minute, if the pitman-rod and sickle-bar are lightened to the amount of ten pounds, the gear-works are relieved of the resistance of vibrating siX hundred pounds per minute; and having this result in view I have constructed the sickle-bar in my machine so as to make it suiiiciently strong, but as light as possible, and I have constructed my pitman-rod hollow or tubular, whereby the pitman rod is not only made lighter by a large proportion, but is also rendered stronger.

yIn the course -of my experience in the use of harvesting-machines I have found that ratchets by which to throw the driving-wheels out of gear with their axle, and were uncovered or unprotected, were liable to be obstructed in their action by the heads and stalks of grain or grass or any other obstructing matter, and though ratchets have been covered in other machines and when used on other parts of harvesting-machines, I have constructed mine on the hub of the driving-wheels of my machine, with internal ratchets provided with two or more pawls that are kept in position by springs, and I have covered them with collars on the axle ofthe driving-wheels, which protects them from any obstructing matter, also renders the construction of the machine less complex, and at the same time applies the power of thepawls more directly. The several pawls are provided with a pin extending through a slot in the collarby which to throw them out of gear, when the drive-wheels will revolve freely on their axle in the transportation of the machine,

said ratchets being held out of gear with Athe pawls by a button on the collar or cover of the ratchets. A spring on the cross-piece A,with a catch in it, holds the front end of a lever in place, which holds the gear-work in connection with the cutting apparatus, and is in a convenient distance from the feet of the driver to enable him, by a slight pressure byhis foot, to depress the spring to throw yit out of connection with the lever, when a spiral spring on the pinion-shaftinstantlythrows the gear-work out of connection with the cutting apparatus, which devices are represented in the drawings. Provision is also made for a drivers piece may be reversed so as to adjust the cut-.

ting apparatus at the rear end of the machine,

,or so modified as to make the attachment at' almost any other point desired without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully stated my inventiomwhat I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the automaticallyadjustable head-piece G and turn-plate M, or their equivalents,with the cutting apparatus, arranged and operating substantially as described.

2. The iron hanger D, for a common support for the journals of the pinion and pitmanshafts of a harvesting-1nachine, when used as a strong iron brace of a light wooden frame, in combination with such frame, substantially as described.

3. The hand-lever L, when constructed and used as specified, in combination with the cutting apparatus, for the purposes set forth, and substantially as described.

4. The adjusting-rod l or its equivalent, by the use of which the driver, while on his seat, may bring the cutting apparatus to a position at right angles to the headpiece,where it may be held, in combination with the head-piece and cutting apparatus, for the purpose set forth, and substantially as described. y

In testimony of which invention I hereunto 'set my hand.

S. YV. TYLER.

Vitnesses:

O. S. X. PEcK, EDM. F. BROWN. 

